Pneumatic stacker.



J. K. SHARPB, JE-

PNEUMATIC STAOKER. APPLIOATIOLi FILED APILZQ, 1910.

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v PNEUMATIC STACKER. APPLICATION FILED APE.29,1910.

Pat ented June'4, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ormon.

JOSEPH K. SHARPE, JR., OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE INDIANAWEST VIRGINIA.

PNEUMATIC STACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1,1912.

Application filed April 29, 1910. Serial No. 558,394.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH K. SHARPE, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PneumaticStackers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in pneumatic stackers ofthe type which is the subject of my application Serial No. 489,056,andconsists in certain details of construction and arrangements of partswhich render such stacker more eflicient and by which I produce resultsheretofore unattainable.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, Figure 1 isa perspective view of a portion of a pneumatic stacker embodying myimprovements; Fig. 2 a plan; Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional viewthrough a combined stacker and separator, as seen when looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows 33 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4

a detail sectional view as seen when looking toward the inner wall ofthe fan and into the hopper; and Figs. 5 and 6, detail sectional viewsas seen when looking in the directions indicated by the arrows 55, 6-6,respectively, in Figs. 2 and 4.

In said drawings the portions marked 10 represent a separator, which maybe of any suitable construction, to which my improved stacker isattached. Said stacker, as usual, comprises a material-receivingchamber, 11, at the lower end of which is a horizontallyarranged concavehopper, 12, extending transversely of the rear of the separator, and oneend of which communicates with a fan, 14, contained in a casing, 15. Asshown in my application hereinbefore referred to, said casing 15 has anoffset portion, 16, voluted in the direction of the outlet or boot, 17,to the fan. Over this voluted portion 16 I provide a flange byprojecting the, end, 18,

of the hopper bottom 12 into the fan casing,

as plainly indicated in Fig. 2 hereof. This construction results in apocket or air container, and permits of a material lateral expansion ofthe air blast created by the rotating fan 14 and the retention thereofin said container..

As is well known, the suction intake air current produced by a stackerfan extends but a slight distance into the hopper, and,

therefore, it becomes necessary to provide mechanical means for urgingthe straw masses into the zone of action of said current, such asinclined hoppers, rotary and endless conveyers, and the like. By myimprovements, however, I am enabled to utilize an ordinary concavehopper occupying with the fan the entire rear width of the separator,through which hopper I propel straw and other material to the fan by aportion of the blast produced by the fan. This I accomplish byconnecting a conduit or tube,

per. This arrangement I have demon- ,strated to be highly effective forthe purpose However, when wet or sticky material (such stated underordinary conditions.

as corn husks) is being handled a portion thereof is carried by theexpanding air to 'said tube 20 and clings to the entrance thereof whichsoon clogs the same and destroys the efliciency of the tube. To obviatethis difficulty I provide a perforate shield, such as wire meshing, 25,in the fan casing, extending the same from the projecting edge of thehopper to the lower interior side of the casing thus forming a partitionbetween said casing and the fan, substantially as indicated in Figs.4and 5, said shield ter minating at 26 so as to leave an opening between its end and the adjacent side wall of until it reaches theopening, 26, where it mingles with the main portion of the dischargingmaterial.

I thus produce an effective stacker for handling material under allconditions, and am enabledto utilize any ordinary unobstructed hopperthrough which an air blast,

produced by the stacker fan itself, is constantly discharged by means ofa screened tube or conduit, thus insuring that all material in saidhopper will be instantly conveyed to the fan and by whicharrangementalso the efficiency of the fan is improved by reason of themeans providing for expansion of the air blasts and its vent throughsaid tube 20, which permits undisturbed and regular flow of the aircurrents, and overcomes back lash or expansion of air out into thehopper, which latter occurrence is a common defect in some types ofstackers.

' I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a hopper, a verticallyarranged fan casing communicating with said hopper and arranged at oneside thereof, a fan in said casing, a conduit leading from said casingto the side of said hopper opposite to said fan for discharging an airblast therethrough, and means in said casing for permitting an air blastfrom said fan to discharge through said conduit and for preventingmaterial from entering said conduit.

2. The combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a hopper, a fan casing atone side of said hopper embodying means for permitting the lateralexpansion of air therein, a

fan in said casing, a conduit leading from said fan casing to theopposite end of said hopper for discharging an air blast-from said faninto said hopper, and a partition in said fan casing for permitting theblast from said fan to enter said conduit and for preventing materialfrom entering therein.

In a pneumatic stacker, a hopper, a fan housing having a portion of itsperipheral wall voluted and communicating with one end of said hopper, aflange associated with said volute portion to form an air container insaid housing, a fan in said housing, and

a perforated shield in said housing between said fan and said aircontainer for separating material from air expanding into saidcontainer.

4. In a pneumatic stacker, a hopper, a fan housing having a portion ofits peripheral wall voluted and communicating with one said voluteportion to form an air container in saidhousing, a fan in said housing,a conduit'leading from said housing to the outer end of said hopper fordischarging an air blast through said hopper and toward said fan, and ashield in saidhousing for preventing m'aterial'from entering saidconduit.

6. In a pneumatic stacker, a hopper, a fan communicating with one endthereof, a shield in said fan between the wings thereof and a side wallof its casing for separating material from air, a conduit leading fromsaid fan to the outer-end of said hopper, and a nozzle at the end ofsaid conduit for distributing air through said hopper.

7 In a pneumatic stacker, a hopper, a fan casing communicating with oneend thereof, a fan in said casing, a flange projecting through a portionof said casing and terminating in proximity to said fan, and a con duitleading from said casing to the opposite end of said hopper fordi'scharging an air blast through said hopper toward said fan.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH K. SHARPE, JR.

Witnesses:

F. L. SATTLEY, C. E. SLoAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

